Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-23
A GRASPING GOVERNMENT
HUNTINGTON DECLARES THE CAUSE
OF THE RAILWAY TROUBLE.

Some Serious Charges Against Uncle Sam
A Hint That Stock Jobbing Is At the
Bottom of the Inquiry Consolidation of
the nickel Plate" Properties
Railway Itrms.
NEW YORK, Sept 23-Mr Huntington
was on the witness chair again Thursday be-
fore the Pacific railways commission and ex-
planned few of the Cotton letters to his own
satisfaction With reference to one propos-
ing to obtain a senator from California who
would be friendly to the road, he was exceed
ingiy non-committal, but regarding one de-
claring that the congress OF 1875 was an
agrarian camp he said he had observed that
a number of Anarchists and Socialists were
getting into public places They could not
make any money honestly for themselves,
and would do good deal for less than S., 900.
The witness then went into consideration of
the methods and men employed in starting
the Central Pacific Every one went in at
personal solicitation Only good, honest,
thrifty men were taken in, like Governor
Stanford and Mr. Croker 1.-THE govern
ment took away our power OF repaying them
quickly when it subsidized parallel lines.
This was not our fault We have fulfilled
every obligation to the government. 1t is
they who have broken the contract. The ex-
penses at one time were enormous. Freight,
insurance, provisions, everything went high
during the war. Materials had to be shipped
around Cape Horn year in advance, aud
thus interest was lost AT present the gov
eminent owes the Central 5000, 900, which
it will not pay, and it won't pay interest on
anything it once has in its grasp The most
expensive part of the road was over the
Sierra Nevadas 1t cost Mr. Croker more
than the contracts came anywhere near pay
ing him. At one time it looked like losing
enterprise The risk was enormous, and il
was not until long afterward that the profits
showed themselves"
The witness read paper showing the fol-
lowing parliamentary expenses on some Eng
fish roads: The Brighton railway II, 800 per
mile; the Manc hester 4 Birmingham, Il, 600;
the Blackwell, ga, 500. The solicitors bill
of the Southw estern Railway company OF
England was e244, 900, taking which fact
into consideration the Central Pacitic'S ex-
pense were very small.
Later Mr.. Huntington asserted that the
government paid the Central Pacific less for
carrying the mails over the Sierra Nevadas
than it paid the level eastern roads.
Mr.. Littler responded that be would like tC
have official data of that assertion, as, if il
was true, it was very grievous charge t.
| prefer against the government
The witness promised to send in the full
| particulars
| Mr. Huntington then stated that he be-
lieved there was more tn an politics behind
the investigation Numerous parties arr
| short on the market of Central Pacific, and
belive they are helping TO push this investi-
| cation to bring the stock down.
The witness stated he was one of the direc
| tors of the Pacific Mail company, but nevei
voted at the meetings, as he was more inter
ested in the railways which are antagonistiC
| to it. Everything he did was IN the Interest
of the railways
| Gen. Granville NJ Dodge was the next wit
ness called. He surveyed and conducted al
| the preliminary engineering work of tn,
| Union Pacific, and is now director of tn,
! company. He gave his experiences in select
ing the route taken by his road, the difficultle'
| encountered, and final discovery of the hes
route across the rocky mountains He wen
! into the various details of the cost of con
/ struction, the vast expense entailed in certain
| portions of the work, aud how at one poin
the contractors failed AMI the company itself
had to do the work, and built forty-sever
miles of track at a cost of 81, 900 per mile.